In 2005, Katrakis founded The International Academy of Arts, its first branches functioned in the USA with the summer program in Greece under the name of Kallista Academy of Arts. Recently, in 2014, the academy reopened in a new permanent location. Now based in Munich, Germany, academy once again opened its doors under a new name of – The International Academy of Arts.

Katrakis holds MA, BA, BFA and MFA in studio arts, fine arts and art history. She studied in Sorbonne, Paris, France, Lorenzo di Medici, Florence, Italy, Kyiv National Art Academy (historical branch of the renown St. Petersburg Academy of Arts) and completed her degree and thesis in the USA, The University of Memphis and subsequently taught there in the department of Fine Arts. In 2011 Katrakis won the award of UN in the field of Culture “Freedom to Create World Prize”, and became an ambassador of good will in the field of culture for the UN. She held a number of high curatorial positions in the museums, galleries and cultural foundations world-wide.

Roman Kudlay – Kudlay’s professional background is that of a pedagogy and linguistics. He obtain his BA and MA in languages (German and English) and in pedagogy, further continuing his professional education in some of the best European educational institutions. Devoted to knowledge, Kudlay studied in the renown Ludwig Maximilian Institute in Munich Germany and obtained an additional degree in business management at the Technical University of Munich Germany. He worked as a director, producer and top manager of numerous productions and events, cultural and educational groups and organizations in Europe – turning all of his projects into a success. His devotion to the vision and the very idea of The International Academy of Arts – is truly self-sacrificial and complete. He bares the heavy load of the administrational duties, structuring all the programs and the functions of the Academy from within - making it one of the best, and most unique private academies of arts in the world.